A Well-Oiled Machine
by gamf
Summary: To both Hinata and Kageyama, synchronization is key to their success, and they are willing to go to any lengths to strengthen it. Set during the practice games in Tokyo. Hinata/Kageyama [underage warning]
1. Chapter 1

The unpleasant and noisy snoring at his left broke Asahi Azumane's slumber. His eyes flutter open, examining the blurry image of the dark ceiling above him. He shifts his body to wake his muscles in order to tilt his head to the side and peer at Yu Nishinoya. The self-proclaimed "partner in crime" has his mouth open, a stream of drool leaving his mouth, and his limbs sprawled across the futon, a foot inches away from crossing on to Asahi's. He closes his eyes and attempts to return to sleep, then suddenly his body sends signals to relieve his bladder. Unable to ignore such demands, he sits up with his arms stretching above his head; as he comes to a stand, he notices every futon is occupied except two. Taking a gander at the visible faces, he concludes the two missing are Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama. It doesn't strike him as odd as he presumes the two are getting a head start in their personal practice, a constant pastime of those two it seems.

Asahi leaves the classroom that houses the Karasuno team and travels to the closest men's restroom. After he relieves himself, he proceeds back towards the classroom. A quarter way there, he becomes increasingly curious about the disappearance of Hinata and Kageyama. Aware that if they are caught using the gym without permission it would lead to some sort of punishment; perhaps the consequences would not be great, but making them sit out during the practice games, or personal practice would upset both. He decides it would be best to find them before anyone else does.

Stepping out into the night sends a shiver down his spine. The cool, crisp air wraps around his skin, causing bumps on his skin to protrude in defiance. He wraps his arms around himself to retain his heat and he jogs quickly along the pathway to the gym. Now five feet away from the gym's open doors he finds the lights are out. Asahi slows his pace to a stop, blinking in surprise; it suddenly dawns on him that it's possible they left the campus. He tenses up at the thought, realizing that their punishment would be ten times worse if their secret departure were revealed; all hope seems suddenly lost for the missing teammates. Unable to do anything more, Asahi turns to head back.

"Kageyama!"

Hinata's shrill shriek startles Asahi; he jumps forward a foot, eyes wide-if he wasn't awake before, he is now. The shock recedes and relief sweeps over him knowing Hinata and Kageyama are on campus. He looks over his shoulder to the gym, seeing the open doors to the dark gym makes him ponders what Hinata and Kageyama are doing in the confines of the dark, he decides to investigate.

The closer Asahi came towards the door, the usual sounds of a volleyball being tossed around are heard: grunts, huffing, and sharp smacks. Perhaps this is a new training technique for them, or something. Asahi reaches the door and pulls back the green net to peer inside. His mouth opens to call out to their names when Hinata's words abruptly stop his action.

"Mo-more, m-more."

Asahi squints his eyes to adjust to the ill lit room. After a second, he sees two shadowy figures in the center of the gym. He would have approached the two except their positions were far too perplexing to comprehend. One was hunched over the other and it seems as if a pair of legs were in the air. The first thought that crossed his mind is one of them passed out and now the other is elevating his legs to get blood flow back to his brain. The theory wasn't sound as there were two major, questionable flaws: why is the one who is doing the elevating on his knees instead of standing up straight, and why put the head in between the legs?

As he stared, the image became clearer; hands were wrapped around the shins, the one on the ground has his backside off the ground, and the shadows were rocking back and forth. It gradually dawns on him: there wasn't a medical emergency, this...this was...sex.

Asahi nearly gasps, though he places his hand over his mouth to stifle the sound. Unsure of what to do, he decides to escape. He is careless in his run, creating echoing footfalls as he sprints towards the main building.


	2. Chapter 2

Asahi searches his memory for any news piece he's read or heard about of a teenager dying from a heart attack. At first, he amounts to nothing and briefly, he slows down his rapid heart rate, then his paranoia kicks in and he becomes certain he has read somewhere about an eighteen-year-old dying from a heart attack. His heart accelerates once again, and his breath shortens. Images of Hinata and Kageyama in the gym flash through his mind. He closes his eyes in the attempt to control the unwanted replay, yet he is unable to remove his teammate's intimate moment.

"Asahi?"

Like a spear ramming up his spine, Asahi straightens his back at the sudden voice. He withholds a yelp that is dying to leave his lips; cautiously, he turns to face the source of the sound. The presence of the vice-captain of the team, Sugawara, brings Asahi relief. His heart slows, and he manages to breathe again. In the midst of enjoying the moment of peace, Asahi does not witness the concerned and nervous expression that graces Sugawara's face.

"A-are you alright? You look like you saw a ghost—" Suga tightens at the mere thought of spiritual activity, and his rigid body leans forward as his skin pales, "y-you didn't see one, did you?"

Asahi opens his eyes, blinking in confusion; he wishes he saw a ghost, a murderous Sada** would have been a more welcoming sight than what he witnessed. His lips part, willing to inform Suga about what he's encountered. However, he knows Suga, and he knows Suga will tell the captain who will most likely inform the teachers. Fraternizing isn't welcomed within school hours or during club activities, and the punishment could be indefinite suspension from said activities. Asahi lowers his gaze in dismay, the consequences are too grand to accept, and he could not carry the guilt on his shoulders for ruining Karasuno's chances and destroying everyone's dream.

The wind rattles the windows, startling Sugawara, "A-Asahi!" he yelps, silently begging now for an answer.

Unable to confide in Sugawara, Asahi reaches out his hands to comfort him instead. "No ghosts! I was thinking about our matches, about our skill level in comparison to the other teams. I, all of us, have a long way to go before we can stand with them." Asahi lowers his hands and dejectedly sighs, "It's daunting—"

"It is," Sugawara, no longer ridden with anxiety, replies. His resolution is firm; it shows through his voice and his kind smile. "It is daunting, we are below everyone's skill level in this camp, but that is why we are here. I don't know if we're going to make it to the championships, but what I do know is that all of us are doing our best, working our hardest to get our foot in the door and that is what matters right now." Sugawara's encouraging speech allows Asahi to raise his head in a small smile, to which Suga returns happily.

"Do you think Asahi-Senpai is telling Sugawara-Senpai about us?" Hinata whispers from around the dark corner down the hall. Looming above him is Kageyama, staring intensely at the two upperclassmen and their expressions. He is attempting to decipher the conversation with his poor skill in lip reading. "Kageyama?" Hinata speaks again upon the silent response, "hey, Kageayama," a little louder now, "Kageyama!"

Kageyama slams his fist in the center of Hinata's skull, "Shut up, they'll hear us!"

Before either freshman realized their reveal, they meet Sugawara's stern stare. The sudden appearance of the upperclassmen startles both, and they jump out of their hiding place, standing at attention with their chins held high and ready for a scolding.

"You two look sweaty," Sugawara observes the two, taking note of the flushed flesh of their cheeks, palms, and knees; he sees the patches of sweat on the white shirts; he notices their Adam's apple bobbing in a nervous swallow. They are guilty as can be.

Hinata shudders as the harsh gaze scans over his form. He's convinced Asahi told Sugawara what he saw. His heart is racing again, mirroring their moment of discovery. He was terrified of what could happen if Asahi informed the others. He knew what they were doing wasn't necessarily meant for students their age or allowed between teammates. However… however… Hinata couldn't come up with an excuse. He didn't understand his feelings for Kageyama. He didn't like-like him, not in that way most couples do; Kageyama is a friend, a teammate, a partner, and his key to success. What they were doing, it wasn't just fun; it was part of their practice. He won't lie; however, it feels good, and it feels right no matter what. He's not ashamed of their actions, only fearful of what the teachers would do if they knew.

Kageyama remains stoic, staring over Sugawara's shoulder at Asahi. The eye contact is brief before Asahi cants his head to break it. He feels it is safe to assume that Asahi did not confide in Sugawara, that advert gaze wasn't out of guilt but shame. Although Kageyama didn't share his sentiment, he wasn't ashamed of what he was doing with Hinata. He didn't quite understand his feelings for Hinata yet, and he stood on the fence between admiration and disdain. He was well aware Hinata was the strongest variable to winning, and he would use him, no matter how unconventional the means were; Hinata and he had to become a well-oiled machine. It was easier to see Hinata as a variable, and while he was breaking free from the king of the court title, he could not help but wrap his hands around Hinata. He is necessary to success; he is the only one who can rise with him.

The frightened Hinata and stoic Kageyama are nothing less than what Sugawara expected. He sighs, lowering his stance, "You two shouldn't overdo it with practice. If you wear yourself out and get sick, you'll be sent home early, and I know neither one of you would want that."

Kageyama finally meets Sugawara's gaze as Hinata rapidly shakes his head, nearly on the verge of crying now. Sugawara suddenly reacts to the worried freshman, laughing nervously, "I won't tell Daichi or Ukai-Sensei you were up late practicing tonight." The harsh gaze returns and this time it is tenfold, frightening Kageyama now. "Next time I catch you two practicing again, there will be no mercy," and like that, the evil gaze disappears, and he smiles, ushering them to head back to the classroom.

The freshmen take their leave, Hinata turning his head over his shoulder to watch Asahi as he passes; Kageyama immediately grabs Hinata's head and turns it away to interrupt the exchange. Sugawara manages to catch the unusual glance between the two and gazes at the ace in bewilderment. Asahi refuses to make eye contact with Sugawara, let alone Hinata; his heart is no longer beating rapidly, but now proceeds to sink into his stomach. Sugawara goes to speak with Asahi once more, although the ace takes his leave quickly and leaves the vice-captain at a loss for words. He shortly follows the others back to the classroom.

He arrives at the dark classroom, Nishinoya's snore remains consistent. Carefully, Suga steps over the bodies to make his way to the empty futon next to Daichi's. As he settles in, he bumps his elbow against Daichi's, stirring him from his sleep. "Oops, sorry," he whispers.

"Suga?" the drowsy captain shifts in the futon, rolling to face his friend, "bathroom?"

"Bathroom? Oh, no," Suga lies down, turning to face the other now, "Asahi woke me up," his voice is soft, barely a whisper to avoid drawing attention or waking anyone else up. "When I found him, he looked shook up as if… as if he saw something."

Daichi's eyes widen a bit, "Something? You mean like a spirit?"

"Aha, I heard about school hauntings, but that wasn't it. Hinata and Kageyama were hiding when I was talking to him. They shared some strange looks, Daichi. I don't know what's going on, but something is up."

Daichi rolls onto his back now, not daring to sit up and examine his teammates at this moment. "It could be that Asahi is worried about Hinata and Kageyama. They are exceptional but unpolished at this point. Seeing them practice off hours may have made him concerned. If that's the case, I agree with Asahi; they shouldn't push themselves too hard."

"Mm," Sugawara wants to admit, but something in his gut denies him that peace. "Sorry for waking you up, let's go back to sleep before the sun rises." Daichi makes an audible sound of approval before the apparent slow and sonorous breathing of someone asleep. Sugawara smirks at how immediate Daichi can fall back to sleep and is jealous. He rolls to the other side, meeting the open gaze of Asahi. He tenses, though unable to break the gaze; Asahi blinks and shifts to face away from Sugawara's direction.

It's now clear to Sugawara that something is amiss.


	3. Chapter 3

The vision beyond the net is clear. He can see across to the other side. His vision narrows in on a small spot at the edge of the court. His hand rockets forward like a missile. His palm slams against the volleyball. In a crack, it's over. The invisible wings that kept him afloat fade, and he lowers onto his feet. The horn blows followed by silence, and then a cry of victory. Triumph overwhelms his heart; an eager war cry is on the edge of exploding from his lips. Except, he turns to his right and sees his ebony haired comrade, smiling proudly, joyfully, with tears daring to seep from his eyes. He leaps the distance into his arms, wrapping his legs securely around him. The warmth of a friend's arms around him is reassuring. He slides carefully down the form and looks up to his teammate.

"Kageyama, we won."

His comrade smiles fondly upon him, a hand reaches up, not to smack him, but to gently rest upon his cheek. The calloused thumb strokes against his damp, pink cheek. His heart seems to soar higher than his leap. A quiet, happy sigh exhales from between his parted lips. This happiness, this sense of fulfillment is better than he could have imagined.

"Hinata… Hinata, we did— Hinata-"

* * *

"Hinata!"

He's severed from his dream, fluttering his heavy lids open to squint through the morning sun. Hinata focuses on the present in the attempt to locate himself. There's pressure against his forehead that is pushing harshly against his skull. It takes him a second to realize he's wrapped himself around Tsukishima's left ankle as the other foot is struggling to remove the leech.

"Let go of me, you idiot!" Tsukishima urges, his cheeks furthering its pinkish hue of embarrassment as Nishinoya, Yamaguchi and Tanaka are stifling a laugh at the comedic routine. "Let go of me right now!"

Hinata uncurls his body from the blond and lays flat on his back. He is unresponsive to Tsukhishima's further insults and stares up at the white ceiling. Hinata reflects on his dream, wondering when did Kageyama come apart of his dream, of his future. He understood Kageyama would be the key to victory, yet in his dream, Kageyama wasn't merely a variable in the strategy.

"Hinata, get up, you're going to miss breakfast," Daichi's firm voice overwhelms all other sounds within the classroom. Immediately Hinata is out of his futon and is rolling it up before quickly stacks it with the rest. Only seconds after Daichi had mention breakfast, Hinata is dressed and jogging his way towards the cafeteria. "No running in the hallways, Hinata!" the captain's stern call echoes from the classroom doorway.

"For being up so late, he sure does have a lot of energy," Sugawara comments with a smirk, peering out of the classroom alongside Daichi. To ensure he and Daichi are the last to leave, he checks the room, and immediately he spies Kageyama moving closer to him. His smile at the other setter is ignored, or rather avoided; he allows it to slide, not wanting to bring up this matter in front of Daichi without filling him in further on the previous night. "That's everyone, Daichi. We can lock up now."

* * *

Kageyama's eyes watch the descending ball and his hands reach up. He glances in front of him to see Tsukishima readying himself as the decoy. Automatically, he knows Hinata is behind him. He leaps up, tilting his head back to determine the angle he must achieve to allow contact. He sees Hinata in the air, though something is off: Hinata is looking at him, not over the net. Their eyes meet, and there's an unusual spark that occurs, one that Kageyama couldn't describe as a rivalry. He loses all sense of reality, and the ball continues its fall until it hits his face. His legs flail in surprise, and immediately he lands on his back.

The Karasuno team is speechless, perhaps being the most shocked within the gym. Despite the air of awe, Sugawara remains solemn. He glances in between Hinata and Kageyama, seeking the hidden connections.

After a long moment of silence, Daichi and Ukai jog up to the fallen setter. "Kageyama, are you all right? Do you need to go to the nurses?" Ukai questions as his eyes search the setter for any injury or blood.

Kageyama is aware he could not accept. Sugawara's midnight lecture deterred him from revealing that he is not acting like himself. Just as he is about to deny the request, Hinata interrupts him with, "I'll take him." Ukai and Daichi agree in unison to the escort and help Kageyama up to his feet. After they allow Hinata to take the lead and guide Kageyama out of the gym, Ukai brings in Sugawara and Ennoshita to replace the freshmen.

"Oi, Suga," Daichi closes the distance to his vice-captain, "did you see that?"

"Hinata and Kageyama making eye contact? Yeah, I did. Like I said," Sugawara pauses and glances over his shoulder to the detached Asahi, "something is amiss."

* * *

You idiot, going to the nurse's office makes me look sick."

"Sick?" Hinata looks to Kageyama, "you're not sick."

"I know I'm not. Sugawara-Senpai doesn't know that."

"Oh, I guess he doesn't."

"Tch, idiot."

"Sorry." Hinata continues to walk forward despite Kageyama coming to a halt. He slows down when he hears only one set of foot and turns slightly to look at the setter. "Kageyama?"

"You looked at me."

"Oh, yeah," Hinata chuckles nervously, his cheeks flushing in a pink hue, "déjà vu, I guess. I had this dream where we won the national championships, and you were there."

"Of course I would be there, idiot. Why did you look at me, Hinata?"

"You were happy in my dream, and it made me happy. I dunno, I guess I was curious to know if you were happy that I was your wing spiker."

Kageyama's eyes widen slightly in surprise. He stares at the flustered Hinata, wondering when the other began to care about his happiness. He lowers his head, hoping his bangs are long enough to shield the pink tint that graces his cheeks. Unfortunately, it's not, and Hinata is poking his head under his to gawk at the blush.

"Ah, Kageyama, you're blushing!"

The setter's strong hand grips Hinata's cheeks, and he pushes him away. "Stop looking at me." Kageyama's deep voice sends a shiver down Hinata's spine; he backs Hinata up until the shorter male is flush against the wall. Kageyama removes his hand slowly, dropping his forehead to make contact with Hinata's.

"Of course I'm happy you're my wing spiker. What did I tell you before? Our quick attack is going to be the best."

Hinata shyly looks up to Kageyama, smiling despite Kageyama's stoic expression. He nods his head in agreement as he draws closer to him. "We're going to make it to the championships with our quick attack, Kageyama." There's a moment of peace between the two before Hinata tenses up, jerking his head left and right to scan the hallway. "Kageyama! What if we get caught again!?"

"We're not doing anything," to be safe, Kageyama takes a couple of steps back from Hinata. He searches the hallway on his own before looking back to Hinata, "We'll be careful next time. We can't afford to do it in the school or gym."

"Why are you telling me? You're the one who kissed me, Kageyama."

"And who was the one who said they wanted it?"

Hinata pouts, crossing his arms over his chest, "I couldn't help myself."

"We're both at fault, idiot," Kageyama sighs, "let's hurry up to the nurse's office and head back to the gym."

"Yeah!" Hinata proceeds to skip down the wall, leading the way for Kageyama.


End file.
